Iranian authorities have intensified their crackdown on Kurdish activists, particularly in the western regions, with human rights organisations reporting a wave of arrests.
Among those detained is Mohammad Yousefi, a 17-year-old from Javanroud, who was arrested on 7 February for celebrating the Iranian national football team’s defeat. Nine days following his arrest, his condition and whereabouts remain unknown, raising concerns about the treatment of minors in custody. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that Yousefi was one of several minors detained during celebrations that erupted in Kurdish cities after Iran’s loss to Qatar in the Asian Nations Cup semi-final.
Adding to the tensions, Safa Aely, the uncle of Mahsa Amini, was sentenced to over five years in prison on charges of “propaganda against the establishment” and “collusion against national security”. Aely was arrested on 5 September 2023 as part of a broader clampdown as he organised events to remember his niece, whose death in custody had sparked widespread protests.
The arrests extend beyond Javanroud to cities like Muchesh, Sanandaj, and Divandarreh, with Iranian intelligence and judiciary providing no information on the detainees. This suppression comes ahead of Iran’s parliamentary elections on 1 March, signalling the regime’s effort to quell dissent.
In a related development, a group of 110 political activists and former reformist politicians has urged participation in the forthcoming “not free” elections as an act of protest. Their statement, “Initiating Change”, highlights the challenges of achieving free elections under Iran’s theocratic system but advocates for engagement as a form of resistance.